Unaccredited universities to graduate in Sept.

By Emmanuel Luciano

About 80 students will be graduating from University of Livingstonia and Malawi Adventist University with unrecognised certificates because government’s accreditation committee is yet to accredit the two universities.

Livingstonia University of Education is expected to graduate its first intake of 36 students in September this year while Malawi Adventist University’s Lake View Campus will graduate its first batch of 42 students in November.

But both registrars of Livingstonia University and Malawi Adventist University are hopeful that the accreditation committee will recognise the universities in time for the graduation.

Registrar of University of Livingstonia Reverend Binnie Mwakasungula said they recently met the accreditation committee on the issue.
“We met the accreditation committee in Zomba. There were a few things that they wanted us to do; things that have to do with our programmes.

“I can’t say that they wanted a, b, c, because they are technical. But all I can say is that we are hopeful that within the month of June, we should be accredited,” said Mwakasungula.

Registrar of Malawi Adventist University Steven Moyo said government was yet to visit the college on final accreditation.

“Since we are an affiliate of University of East Africa, we have just received the final affiliation document. We have submitted the affiliation document to government in preparation for accreditation,” Moyo said.

Newly-opened Catholic University, whose students are in the second semester of the first year, also opened its doors without being accredited.

The University’s deputy vice-chancellor Dr. Martins Mtumbuka said they had made significant progress towards accrediting the university.

“Unfortunately, we are not allowed to disclose but we are very close. What I can tell you is that it’s taxing. Writing the syllabus and developing the curriculum, it’s just like writing your thesis,” he said, adding he was hopeful the University would be accredited before it re-opens for the first semester in August.

“You know this [accreditation] becomes a big issue when you are graduating students. It affects worthiness of certificates of the people who go through a course process,” he said.

Member of accreditation committee, who is also Principal Secretary for Human Resources Development, Samuel Madula said they were at an advanced stage with accreditation of the universities. But he could not give a timeframe for the accreditation process.

“We are at an advanced stage but I cannot tell you where we exactly are because I was outside the country.